Vampire Queen
by MangaFreak15
Summary: Zero's life takes a drastic turn when his childhood friend, Kagome Higurashi, shows up at Cross Academy. Formerly presumed dead after vanishing five years ago, the human-turned-demon has a mission: to keep an eye on the vampires. Zero x Kagome
1. Ch 1: The New Student

**Hmm. What should I say? This story is over three years old and I have hardly given it a second glance ever since I stopped writing it, but I still get reviews, favs, and alerts in my inbox. If I said, "I'm in college now!", would that suffice as an excuse? No. No, it wouldn't.**

**Rewritten: February 6, 2013**

* * *

Rational vampires dare not dwell where they are unwelcome. And within the Sun Dormitory where a fearsome silver-haired teenager sleeps, none bother to sneak in. What the boy dreams in his unconscious landscape is sweet, indeed…

"_Zero-kun, Ichiru-kun!" The mentioned boys looked up when they hear their names called out by a voice as melodious as a nightingale's song. "How long are you guys going to sit there?"_

_A young girl waltzed into view gracefully, her braided, jet-black hair swinging behind her like a cord of rope. Her pale features appeared golden in the warm sunlight. Ichiru smiled at her brightly as he replied, "Coming, Kagome-chan! Come on, Zero, get up." He nudged his twin, who yawned._

"_Are you going to make me catch you again?" Zero asked, one half-open eye gazing at her sleepily._

_Kagome stuck her tongue out childishly. "I bet you can't catch me this time," she said. She took off as fast as her legs would carry her. A rustle of grass behind her indicated that Zero had gotten to his feet. Quick footsteps chased after her a moment later._

"_Run, Kagome-chan, run!" hollered Ichiru._

_Kagome squealed when she felt Zero tackle her with a flying leap. They rolled around in the grass together, with Zero coming out on top, a smug look surfacing on his face._

"_I win again," he said. "You're slow, Kagome."_

_Kagome pouted. "You're too fast, Zero-kun," she replied, trying to push him off. He was kind of heavy. Zero wordlessly obliged, rolling off to the side so he could lay next to her. Ichiru bounced over to join them a moment later, and the three of them laid in the grass, staring up at the wide blue sky. There was not a cloud to be seen._

"_Hey, Kagome-chan?" Ichiru broke their comfortable silence. "What do you want to be when you grow up?"_

_Kagome blinked her wide blue-gray eyes at him, then pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I don't know," she said. "Maybe I'll be a vampire hunter, like your family. I'm in training to use my family's purification arts."_

"_That's dangerous though," Ichiru protested. "Are you sure?"_

"_I know it's dangerous. But they're helping people out by killing vampires, right?" Kagome answered. "I want to be like that: brave and strong and kind."_

"_I'm sure you can do it," Zero said. "It'll be tough though."_

"_You're already brave and strong and kind, Kagome-chan," Ichiru said, groping for her hand in the grass. He gave it a squeeze. Kagome rewarded him with a smile and a little giggle._

"_Thank you, Ichiru-kun," she said. "You are, too." Ichiru's cheeks grew warm._

"_Thanks," he mumbled, turning his blushing face away. Kagome stifled another giggle with her fist._

_Neither of them noticed the way Zero's eyes darkened with jealousy and sadness._

_Then the darkness flew up and swallowed them. The two boys and the girl in the grass vanished in a whirlwind of color and blackness, which is then replaced by an image of the girl, this time as a teenager._

_Slash! The sharp edge of a steel blade cut through human flesh. Blood burst out in a fine explosion of red mist, followed by a thud as a body hit the cold ground._

_There was pain in all of her limbs, like fiery needles burning her from the inside out. Then she was numb. She choked on her own blood, her teeth and tongue slick with red saliva. She weakly gazed up at her attacker, a white-haired young man sporting a pair of dog ears atop his head. He looked down at her with something akin to pity, the tip of his stained sword resting against the ground._

Don't…don't look at me like that,_ she thought venomously. _I don't need your pity, Inuyasha. Not after this.

"_Why?" she simply asked, coughing again. "Why did you betray me, _Inuyasha?_"_

_He was silent for a few moments. "I'm sorry, Kagome," he finally said. "I'm so sorry…" Then he turned his back on her, trying to ignore the sound of a broken, hollow laugh bubbling up from her throat. Her fingers clawed at the dirt._

"_You liar," she rasped, fixing her eyes on his retreating back. "You're nothing but a dirty murderer." It was becoming difficult to breathe now. Her gaze dropped to the ground, watching in morbid fascination as her blood stained the grass a bright crimson color. Any moment now, she would die, and her spirit would be free from this wretched mortal shell at last. She wouldn't have to bear with all of her pain anymore. It was actually a pleasant thought._

_She sighed, looking up at the bright white circle in the sky for the last time. "I'm sorry," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry, Ichiru. I'm sorry, Zero—"_

_And the girl fell into the hands of Death._

The boy bolted up from his bed, cold sweat drenching the back of his neck and plastering his silver hair to his head. Breathing heavily, he covered his face with one hand, a single name tumbling from his lips.

"Kagome…"

* * *

**Vampire Queen**

**1. The New Student**

* * *

Sesshoumaru gazed stoically at the young woman sitting at the other side of his desk, examining her nails. Long waves of black hair fell down her back, accentuating her bluish-gray eyes. An intense look of concentration froze her features. All her nails appeared to be in perfect shape. Nodding to herself in satisfaction, she peered at him through her black bangs.

"So?" she prompted, leaning forward a bit. "What did you call me here for?"

"A new mission. There have been too many vampires cropping up lately," he said. "You are going to keep an eye on the ones attending Cross Academy."

The young woman sighed. "Dumb vampires don't know when to quit," she grumbled. "Should I kill them?"

"Dispose of the Level-E's you find in town," Sesshoumaru replied. "That is your mission. And if any of the Night Class students stray out of line, you are to inflict whatever punishment you see fit. Understood? Good, you are dismissed."

"Straight to the point as always, Sesshoumaru." The young woman got up from the comfortable armchair and headed to the door. She paused just before she turned the knob.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"What now?"

"…Never mind." She opened the door. "I'll see you later."

"Wait." She paused. "Keep in mind that your childhood friend is not the same as he was back then, Kagome. I fully expect you to complete your mission without complications."

"You don't have to worry about me, Sesshoumaru. Zero and I are going to have a nice, _long_ talk."

The door softly clicked shut behind her.

* * *

The day was as normal as its predecessors. Yuuki and Zero managed to hold back the horde of screaming fangirls that greeted the Night Class with undying enthusiasm. Every day it was a hassle to keep these rabid girls in line, Zero wished they would just get a hint already. Unfortunately none of the Day Class students were allowed to know that the Night Class was composed entirely of vampires. Damn bloodsuckers.

After the usual excitement had passed, the two returned to the Headmaster's office for dinner. The eccentric man who called himself their adopted father eagerly presented the evening's meal: fried vegetables with soy sauce and fresh egg omelet with spring onion and tomato. And rice, of course.

Kaien Cross let his happy-go-lucky face drop after his adopted children polished off their respective portions.

"Yuuki, Kiryuu-kun," he addressed them. "There is a new transfer student joining the Night Class tonight. Can the two of you please go and make her feel welcome?"

A flash of irritation colored Zero's lilac eyes, then he nodded stiffly. Yuuki sent him a concerned gaze, knowing of his hatred of vampires. He dismissed her worries.

"There's no need for such a face, Kiryuu-kun!" said the Headmaster. "The new student is not a vampire."

"Not…a vampire?" repeated Yuuki slowly, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Then why is she—?"

"Because she's not human, either," Kaien Cross continued.

"Not human? What else could she possibly be besides a vampire, then?" asked Zero irritably.

"Tsk, tsk, Kiryuu-kun," Kaien said. "There are other supernatural existences aside from vampires, you know?"

"Like?"

"Demons. Funny creatures, they are—this new transfer girl is a human-turned-demon, and she lives with the Lord of the Western Lands, Lord Sesshoumaru. You'll find her charming, I'm sure," the Headmaster replied mysteriously. "In fact, Kiryuu-kun, you may find her shockingly familiar. But let us save the sentiments for later, shall we? She should be arriving at any moment."

Zero left the room, a decidedly-dark storm cloud settling over his face. The Headmaster seemed to be implying that he knew the new transfer student. That was impossible. He didn't know any demons, and he certainly wasn't going to acquaint himself with any if he could help it.

After Zero left, Kaien turned to his adopted daughter, a serious look falling over his face. "Yuuki, there is something important that you must know about the transfer student. However, you absolutely _cannot_ tell Zero about this. Okay?" he said.

Yuuki frowned. "Why can't Zero know about it?" she asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Because it concerns someone from Zero's past—a person that he believes to be dead."

"Dead?" Yuuki repeated.

"Yes. It happened five years ago," sighed Kaien. "As you know, the Kiryuu family were famous vampire hunters. What most people don't know is that they were partners with another family—the Higurashi family. They were hunters who used the power of purification magic to kill vampires and demons and the like. The Higurashi family only had one heir: a girl named Kagome. She was Zero's fiancee."

"Fiancee?!" said Yuuki, shocked.

"Yes, fiancee. But five years ago she disappeared, presumably kidnapped. No one could find her, and there were no clues to her whereabouts, so she has been presumed dead," replied Kaien gravely. "Of course, now you and I know that that isn't true. In those five years, something must have happened for her to undergo a transformation into a demon. I can't imagine Kiryuu-kun will take it too well, so I want you to keep an eye on him, alright?"

"You can count on me!" Yuuki said, determination lighting a fire in her eyes.

* * *

Zero slouched against the school entrance, ignoring the chill of the night air. He stared up at the dark sky, the Headmaster's words echoing through his head: _"In fact, Kiryuu-kun, you may find her shockingly familiar…"_

He snarled, and nearly punched the wall. That man was withholding information from him, and it was frustrating him to no end. He knew no demons, he was sure of that. The way Kaien worded things…he seemed to be referring to his childhood friend and crush, Kagome. But Kagome was missing, and probably dead. There's no way the new transfer student could be her, after all, Kagome was a human through and through. A noise tore out of his throat, and he sank to the ground.

"Excuse me."

A soft voice interrupted his musings. His eyes flicked upward and his gaze latched on to the figure in front of him, hidden by a hooded black cloak.

"What?" he grumbled rudely.

"Is this Cross Academy?" the person continued, ignoring his lack of manners. "I am the new transfer student."

"Follow me, I'll take you to the Headmaster," Zero said sharply, getting up from the ground. "Don't try anything funny. I won't be amused."

A distinctly female titter reached his ears as the person stepped forward. "Of course not," she said. Zero snorted quietly, and grudgingly began to lead her towards the Headmaster's office. He noticed the way she walked gave off the impression of a stealthy predator; a noiseless, powerful gait. Fucking demons. How could he possibly have any connection to this person? The Headmaster must be off his rocker.

They reached Kaien's office in minutes. Zero opened the door to let himself and the transfer student in.

"Hello!" Kaien greeted the mysterious person kindly. "Welcome to Cross Academy."

"Hello, Headmaster," said the transfer softly. "Thank you for allowing me here. I believe you already know the reason why?"

"Indeed. Lord Sesshoumaru wants you to help keep the vampire situation under control. My darling Yuuki and Kiryuu-kun are doing a magnificent job already, but a little extra help is always nice!" said Kaien.

"Of course. I will also be taking out any Level-E's I see in town," said the transfer.

"I see. Well, it will be a busy day tomorrow, so you should get some rest. Yuuki will show you to a spare room," said Kaien. "You may join your fellow Night Class students later."

The person bowed her head respectfully before turning to the shorter brunette. "Yuuki, right? Nice to meet you. My name is—" She briefly cast a glance at Zero. "—Actually, you may call me K for now. A mystery is no fun if the answer is revealed at the beginning, after all."

"Nice to meet you too, K," said Yuuki, smiling. K didn't seem like a bad person, despite being a demon. Zero was just being a stiff prick. "Come on, you can sleep in Zero's old room."

"It's alright, I'm fully capable of sleeping in a tree," answered K. "I don't need a bed."

"But it'll be cold outside," said Yuuki, concerned. "And wouldn't a bed be more comfortable than a tree?"

"True," K agreed. "I'm quite used to sleeping in trees, though. I will be fine. And I believe there is other business I must attend to tonight. The darkness awaits. Goodnight, Headmaster." She walked out of the office with nary a sound, closing the door behind her.

"I don't trust her," said Zero, narrowed lilac eyes still fixed upon the closed door.

"We have to for now, Zero. Just bear with it," said Yuuki, putting a hand on her arm. "Now let's do our usual patrol."

* * *

"I see I have a welcoming committee," K commented offhandedly as a group of vampires surrounded her, their white uniforms indicating that they were Night Class students. "So? What do you want with me?"

A tall, dark-haired vampire with burning mahogany eyes stepped forward, his face betraying no emotion other than thinly veiled curiosity. His hair curled around his face, accentuating his high cheek bones and pale skin. The aura he exuded separated him from the other vampires—she assumed he must be the unofficial leader of the Night Class students.

The man broke the silence after a few moments, "Why are you here?"

"Why else?" said K. "To keep an eye on the Night Class, as well as exterminate any and all Level-E's in town. That is the mission given to me by Sesshoumaru."

Something flashed in the man's eyes. He turned to his companions. "Aido, Akatsuki, take everyone back to the Moon Dormitory. This person and I are going to have a private conversation," he said.

"Be careful, Kaname-sama," called out the blonde with unruly hair. He and the others left the two alone in the darkness of the night.

"How much do you know?" asked Kaname, narrowing his eyes at her. She was dangerous, he could sense it.

She smirked at him from beneath her hood. Walking up to him, she leaned close to his ear and breathed silkily, "More than you think I do." To Kaname's surprise, she vanished into mid-air, a few loose strands of ebony hair fluttering to the ground. The breeze that flew through the area after her departure seemed to echo with her voice: _I know who you really are, Kaname Kuran. Let the games begin._

Kaname could not help the small smile that curved his lips. He looked up at the dark night sky, saying softly, "How interesting. I will play this game of yours, _Kagome Higurashi._" He turned and made his way back to the Moon Dormitory. He had some planning to do.

* * *

**Well. Here it is. The rewritten version of Chapter One. Original chapter from 2009 was 2357 words and this version isn't much longer (2847 words). I like this version better though. I've introduced a new element that wasn't present in the original one: Kagome is now known as 'K' to Yuuki and Zero. However, if there is no "rewritten" across the top of the chapter, it is one of the original 5 chapters, and may not follow elements of the new chapters.**

**And yes, I've decided to use 'Yuuki' rather than 'Yuki'. For some unfathomable reason it looks better now as 'Yuuki' instead of 'Yuki.' Weird, three and a half years ago I was saying the opposite.**

**Till next time.**

**MangaFreak15**


	2. Ch 2: Close Calls and Level Es

**Nineteen reviews, not bad. I'll continue it because you guys love it so much!**

* * *

**VAMPIRE QUEEN**

**Ch. II**

**Close Calls and Level E's**

* * *

_Bonk!_

"Zero!" Yuki screamed. "Why did you come into the bathroom?!"

"You're the one that's taking too long," Zero retorted.

"But . . . but . . ." Yuki blushed. "But I'm a girl! Guys can't just come in!"

Zero stayed silent. Yuki suddenly remembered that she was supposed to show the new transfer student around this morning and hurriedly dressed in her Day Class uniform before running out the door.

Yuki opened the door to the Headmaster's office. "Headmaster, I'm here," she announced, spotting her adopted father and the transfer student conversing quietly at his desk.

Kaien brightened when he saw Yuki and stood up, gesturing to the female student. "Yuki, please show Kagome around the school grounds," he said. "She'll be wearing her hooded cloak because we still want to keep this a secret from Zero, alright?"

Yuki nodded. She took the girl's hand and walked out of the office, beginning to explain which parts of the place were which. Kagome nodded at her explanations and memorized all the names and whatnot.

As they rounded the corner of the building to head to the Moon Dormitory, Kagome suddenly stopped and put a hand on Yuki's shoulder, halting the younger girl in her tracks. "There is something in town I must take care of. Will you show me the rest later?" she asked.

Yuki looked confused. "What do you need to take care of?" she said.

"I'm sure you know of the existence of Level-E vampires, correct?" Kagome said crisply. When Yuki's eyes widened in shock, Kagome knew that the younger girl understood.

"I see. All right, I will inform the Headmaster of your duty," Yuki said, bowing once and leaving.

Kagome watched her escort head back into the building. When she was no longer in sight, Kagome quietly melted into what shadows there were and vanished from the school grounds without a trace.

She reappeared in the shadows of a dark alley way in the town not far from the Academy. Closing her eyes, she first used her olfactory senses to sniff out the rotting smell that Level-E vampires seemed to possess. She found it within minutes and tracked it down.

However once she appeared at the scene, two vampires from the Night Class and Zero Kiryuu also emerged from different directions. _We're all hunting one vampire?_ Kagome thought skeptically.

An eerie, mad cackling interrupted her thoughts. All their attention was snapped to the left, where a vampire clung to the wall, filthy, dirt-mucked beige rags hanging off its body, a crazed, blood-lusting crimson gleam in its eyes.

"**Blood . . . I smell it. I must have it,"** it whispered, its eyes darting around, finally landing on Kagome. **"You, girlie, your blood smells so good! So demonic and powerful, eyahahahahaha!"**

The crazed vampire leaped towards Kagome, claws outstretched, elongated fangs bared. However, Kagome was fully prepared. With speed that left Zero and the two vampires astonished, Kagome whipped a blue energy whip out of her fingertips and turned the Level-E into dust, its dirty clothing fluttering to the ground.

"One down," Kagome whispered, walking away and ignoring the curious looks she received from the two vampires. "Four to go."

"Excuse me, you're the transfer student, right?" one of the vampires asked. "My name is Takuma Ichijou."

Kagome paused and looked back over her shoulder at them. "Pleased to meet you, Ichijou-san. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have four more vampires to catch," she said politely.

A fierce gust of wind barreled into them, blowing Kagome's hood off. Before Zero could see her, she quickly pulled the hood back over her head and slipped into the shadows, melting away. Her heart pounded momentarily at the close call. _I don't want Zero to know it's me yet,_ she thought to herself, a small part of her heart eating away at her in guilt. Zero was her childhood friend, therefore he had the right to know it was her, but . . . there was always something that stopped her from telling him.

She materialized out of the shadows where she could sense the next Level-E vampire. This one was much cleaner than the last one, indicating that its descent into Level-E had been not too long ago. It turned and faced her, a solemn look on its face.

"Kill me," it said simply, making Kagome raise an eyebrow. "Kill me before I take any innocent lives with me."

"As you wish," Kagome said, dashing towards the vampire and plunging a claw through the vampire's heart. The Level-E coughed once and whispered a quick thank-you before it was reduced to dust.

"Two down, three to go."

Kagome raced to her next destination, but when she got there, she heard a loud _bang!_ from a gun. She peered around the corner and found Zero standing there, shoving his _Bloody Rose_ gun back into his jacket pocket.

_How ironic. A Level-D vampire hunting Level-E vampires,_ she laughed inwardly.

"Three down, two to go," she whispered, walking away. Not noticing that Zero was staring at her retreating back as she departed from the scene.

_Why does it feel like I know her from somewhere?_ Zero thought. _She seems so . . . familiar. But why?_

* * *

After Kagome had finished off the other two Level-E vampires, she returned to the school, barely a hair out of place and looking as though she'd merely gone for a casual stroll.

She went to Kaien's office and informed the Headmaster that she had finished her duties and would now return to the Moon Dormitory.

Just as she was about to open the door, it swung outward, revealing Kaname standing in the doorway. "Hello, Kaname-san," Kagome addressed the Pureblood vampire curtly.

"Likewise, Higurashi-san," Kaname replied smoothly, moving aside to let the demoness pass. She brushed past him without a sound and disappeared down the hallway.

"Oh, Kaname!" the Headmaster motioned him over. Kaname faced him with a serious look, placing himself at eye level with Kaien by leaning part of his weight on his palms on the desk.

"Headmaster Cross, what other information do you have concerning this Kagome Higurashi?"

* * *

Twilight approached rapidly. The throngs of screaming fangirls were once again chattering to each other in front of the gate. Some of them even whispered that there was a new student that had transferred in last night.

"I wonder if he's cute?"

"Hey, I heard that the student was a girl!"

"No way, really?!"

"Yeah!"

Suddenly the gates began to slowly open and the girls started squealing as soon as Aido came into view. The blonde vampire grinned charmingly, enjoying all the attention he was receiving (though he was careful not to show his vampire fangs).

The entire Night Class passed through, but a silent hush befell the Day Class girls as they stared in wonder at the hooded figure at the end of the line, wearing a black, hooded cloak over the recognizable Night Class uniform.

"Isn't that the transfer student?"

"Why's she wearing a cloak?"

The murmurs followed Kagome as she walked down the pathway created by the Day Class girls. One girl stepped forward and asked shyly, "Can we see your face?"

"In due time," was her mysterious reply as she continued to walk. "Now is not."

The girls groaned.

Zero narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Yuki looked away, knowing why.

_I wonder if we're hurting Zero more by keeping this from him? _She thought sadly. _He has the right to know._ She looked discreetly at her partner from her peripheral vision. He already looked so distrustful of her.

_I hope he forgives me._

* * *

Yuki and Zero were once again upon the terrace, examining the Night Class and school grounds for suspicious activity. Yuki constantly looked at Kaname, who was leaning against the window. She noticed that Kagome was also leaning against the window, but on the other side.

Zero turned his gaze from the grounds to window as well, noticing that Yuki was once again staring at Kaname, her savior. "How's your _hero_ doing, Yuki?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.

Yuki blushed at being caught and turned back towards her partner, "I-I wasn't just looking at Kaname!"

"Really? I could've sworn that the_ vampire _you were eyeballing a second ago was named Kaname Kuran," said Zero.

Yuki's face went red and she stammered, "Um, well, yes, but I was also looking at Ka –" Yuki immediately stopped herself from speaking the name out loud.

Zero gave her a sideways glance and asked, "You were saying? Just Kuran, right?"

"Um, yeah," Yuki replied, laughing nervously. _Whew. That was too close. I need to watch myself from now on._

They turned their attention back to the classroom and the grounds. Yuki panicked when she saw Kagome take off her hood and start talking to someone, but when Zero averted his gaze to the window, Kagome's back had already been turned.

_Black and silver hair? I don't know anyone like that,_ Zero thought. She turned partially to speak to Kaname, but the shadows shrouded her face so that Zero was unable to see the specific features. When she put her hood back on, he turned away, wondering.

And so the rest of the night passed by in tranquility.

* * *

**I feel like this was shorter than the last chapter, because of the word count, but it's still good enough, right? Right?**

**Okay, once again, no flames please. Do review, I shall be a happy authoress knowing that my readers care.**

**MangaFreak15**


	3. Ch 3: The Despicable Truth

**Hey guys, I'm back. Sorry for taking so long, I had a lot on my mind.**

* * *

**VAMPIRE QUEEN**

**Ch. III**

**The Despicable Truth**

* * *

It was morning, but Yuki did not feel like getting out of bed. "Yuki, wake up! You're going to be late," her dorm mate and best friend, Yori, said.

"Mm, five more minutes, Yori," Yuki mumbled, squishing her pillow.

Yori sighed. Yuki always seemed to be tired. What the heck did she do to make her spend so much energy?

There was a knock on the door. Curious as to who would be there at this time of the morning, Yori opened the door and was surprised to see a Night Class student standing there. "May I help you?" she asked uncertainly.

"Is this the room where Yuki Cross resides?" the student asked quietly, in a soft feminine voice.

"Yes, but unfortunately she is asleep at the moment," Yori said, carefully choosing her words. The Night Class students always gave her a chill and this girl was no different.

"I see. When she wakes up, please tell her Headmaster Cross needs to see her," the female student said, turning around and leaving down the hallway.

Once again, Yori attempted to wake Yuki up before they were both late to class.

"Yuki! Yuki, wake up!"

Finally the girl sat up sleepily, yawning as she combed her fingers through her mussed hair. "What is it, Yori?" she asked.

"Do you know what time it is?! We're going to be late if you don't hurry!"

Yuki's eyes widened and she scrambled out of bed. "Aaaaaaah!" she screamed when she saw the time. Yori stifled a few chuckles as Yuki flew through her morning routine.

"By the way, Yuki, a Night Class student said that Headmaster Cross needs to see you," she informed the panicking girl.

Yuki paused halfway through buttoning her uniform. "Oh. I'll go right after I change then," she said, finishing up and heading out.

* * *

Kaname sat within his study in the Moon Dormitory, thinking over what Headmaster Cross told him the other day.

* * *

_Flashback_

"_Headmaster Cross, what other information do you have concerning this Kagome Higurashi?"_

_Kaien Cross eyed the Pureblood Vampire and threaded his fingers together under his chin, averting his gaze to his desk. "What I am about to say will stay in this room. Do you understand, Kaname?" he said seriously._

"_The information must be important then."_

"_As you are aware, Kagome Higurashi is no longer a human. Before everything began, she, Zero and Ichiru were all childhood friends, up until Kagome's eleventh birthday. A week after she turned eleven, an unknown force abducted her from the Higurashi household. I was informed by Kun-Loon that Kagome was last seen in the backyard garden, sitting on a white bench next to her favorite rose bushes. They came out to check on their daughter an hour later, but she was gone. On the bench were she had been sitting was a burn mark in the shape of a spider."_

"_A spider, you say?" Kaname mused. "I once heard of a Pureblood Vampire who was associated with spiders. His name is Naraku."_

_Kaien nodded. "We believe that Naraku is behind this scene. I am not clear on the details of the feud between Kagome and Naraku, but we can safely assume that she escaped his clutches with the help of her current guardian, Sesshomaru. He has performed the adoption ritual with her, so she is now a full-fledge dog demon. However, what puzzles me is how she managed to retain her purification abilities," he said._

"_Mikos are supposed to cleanse demonic energy. The adoption ritual is supposed to bind any and all blood despite their given heritage, Headmaster Cross," Kaname deduced. "If Higurashi-san has endured the pain caused by her miko heritage fighting with the demonic blood, _that_ would make her demonic body immune to purification magic and gives her the combined abilities of both."_

"_I see," Kaien said._

"_There is no reason for Sesshomaru-sama to send Higurashi-san here though," Kaname stated calmly._

"_I know that you have control over the situation, Kaname. Being the Pureblood Vampire you are, you have certain powers others do not. We should not forget the fact that you are not an average Pureblood, harboring the soul of the First King."_

"_Yet Sesshomaru thinks it benefits him if he sends his lieutenant here?" Kaname asked softly. "Perhaps there is an alternate motive."_

"_Perhaps. We can only assume."_

_End Flashback_

* * *

A knock on the door caught his attention. "Yes?" Kaname called.

The door opened and the transfer student quietly stepped in, shutting the door softly behind her. Kaname swiveled around and met her cobalt-blue gaze steadily.

"You have every right to be suspicious of me," she said, throwing her hood back. "What is it you wish to know?"

Kaname quirked a slim eyebrow at her blunt accusation. "Is there a reason you do not wish to inform Kiryuu of yourself?" he said.

Her eyes darkened. "He believes I am dead. What use would it be to tell him?" she replied.

"There are plenty," Kaname said smoothly. "Or are you unsure that Kiryuu believes that you are dead?"

She laughed bitterly. "Oh, that would go so well! Childhood friends, who have not seen each other in over five years, suddenly reunite when one is thought to be dead!"

Kaname's mahogany eyes narrowed at her. "Yet you are not dead, contrary to what Kiryuu believes," he said. "Shall I tell him for you?"

"This is my business alone, _Kuran_," she snapped.

He turned to look out of the window. "Headmaster Cross has informed me of the situation," he said. "Higurashi-san, do you have a _spider_ burn mark anywhere on your body?"

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Kagome's eyes widen and her posture stiffened immensely. "What do you know about Naraku?" she whispered.

"He is a Pureblood vampire like I am, is he not?" Kaname answered.

"Blasted vampire off his rocker," Kagome growled. "But he won't be able to get me so easily now."

"Because you are a demon?"

"Not only that. I'm also under Sesshomaru-niichan's protection, as his adopted little sister."

"Ah, the Lord of the West. Yes, I'd forgotten about him," Kaname said. "But you have a question to answer. Do you have a spider burn mark?"

Kagome stared at him, secretly grinding her teeth together in frustration. "You _are_ as perceptive as you look," she finally said. "Yes, I was given one on my second day in Naraku's hideout. It is right here."

She pulled off her cloak entirely and unbuttoned her white jacket, shoving the shirt underneath to the side and exposing her left shoulder. Kaname could clearly see the black spider marking against the pale skin of Kagome's shoulder.

When she felt he had examined the grotesque marking enough, she pulled the shirt, jacket and cloak back over her shoulder. "It is a permanent marking, therefore I cannot get it off," she explained angrily. "He means to make me his slave."

"A concubine, then," Kaname said.

Kagome glared at him, but averted her gaze when she realized he was right. "The only way to get this marking off," she whispered softly, "is if someone else places their claim on me as their mate. The spider marking will only fade if I mate with someone else."

"Is there a reason you are telling me this?" Kaname asked.

"No," she said, gripping the handle of the door. "I merely wanted to warn you of the danger that will happen soon. I fear that Naraku and _Rido Kuran_ will join forces."

Kaname's russet eyes flashed at the latter-mentioned name. "I see. Thank you for the information, Higurashi-san," he said.

Kagome left the room.

* * *

Twilight came once again and Zero found himself aimlessly wandering towards the gates. He could already see Yuki struggling to hold back the clusters of squealing girls and he sighed.

The gates creaked open . . .

The girls fawned over the Night Class, but once again silence fell when the mysterious cloaked student came out, walking just a little ahead of Kaname this time.

The girl from before nervously asked, "Please, can we see your face today?"

"No," was the reply. The girl bowed and stepped back into her crowd of friends.

This action only helped Zero's suspicions. An enigma in human skin, a demon amongst vampires, unwilling to reveal her identity to the Day Class, yet the Night Class knew her face. Why would the Headmaster allow this?

"Thank you for your help, Yuki," Kaname told the shorter girl.

"Um, yes!" Yuki replied quickly, a light-pink blush dusting her cheeks.

Kaname turned his attention on to the transfer student and stepped close to her, whispering discreetly into her ear, "Tomorrow you should reveal who you are."

She flinched minutely, but mutely nodded. Everyone was confused by this. What had the dorm president said to the transfer student to make her act like that? Almost as if she was . . . afraid of who she was . . .

The Night Class disappeared into the school building and the guardians dismissed the groups of girls back to their dormitories.

After dinner, as he and Yuki stood upon the terrace, Zero watched the cloaked figure suspiciously. He _would_ find out who she was, at all costs.

* * *

**Sorry, Zero doesn't find out it's her in this chapter. It'll probably happen in the next chapter, so . . . stay tuned!**

**MangaFreak15**


	4. Ch 4: Zero's Moment of Truth

**Hi, MangaFreak15 is back. At last, the chapter you've been waiting for . . .**

* * *

**VAMPIRE QUEEN**

**Ch. IIII**

**Zero's Moment of Truth**

* * *

The day started off with Zero in a horrible mood. On his way to the Headmaster's office, he had a small encounter with Kaname, the Pureblood vampire he utterly hated. Next, when he opened the door to the Headmaster's office, he came face to face with the mysterious transfer student, who merely gestured for him to move aside after examining him crucially with her cobalt-blue eyes.

After the Headmaster informed him and Yuki of the day's duties, he went to the classroom and took a seat in his usual spot above Yuki's seat.

However, when Yuki took her seat and started to talk softly with Yori, a shudder ran through Zero's body. He flinched lightly, schooling his expression to be blank. When Yuki looked back at him, he put his head down and tried to ignore the bloodlust he felt rising within him. Was it really already time to drink her blood again?

Yuki seemed to notice his distress. She raised her hand and caught the teacher's attention. "May Zero and I be excused? There is something we have to take care of."

When the teacher consented, Yuki stood up, grabbed Zero and dragged him out of the classroom. "Yuki?" Zero rasped.

Yuki reached the Headmaster's bathroom and let Zero go. She grabbed a white towel and hung it upon the broken lock, before dragging Zero inside and shutting the door.

Zero's breathing grew harsh. Yuki gripped his shoulders and forced him to look at her. "It's that time again, isn't it?" she said. She tucked her hair to the right and turned, exposing the pale neck to the gasping vampire.

Zero's pupils dilated and his lilac irises glowed crimson. He placed his mouth upon the junction and pricked the delicate skin with his sharp fangs. Yuki shut her eyes as a sharp stab of pain made itself known when Zero's fangs sunk in and he began drinking.

_This is okay . . . this is fine, I'm helping Zero . . . _Yuki thought, suppressing her guilt because she had not notified Kaname of this forbidden act.

Suddenly the door opened and both students froze. In the doorway stood the transfer student, her cobalt-blue eyes glittering. "And here I thought it wasn't true," she said, shutting the door.

Zero retracted his fangs from Yuki's neck and both of them stared at the transfer student. "What do you want?" Zero said icily.

"Why so hostile, Kiryuu-kun? Ashamed of your vampire instincts?"

Zero snarled at her. Yuki asked firmly, "Stop it. Why are you here?"

"My brother's orders," she sighed. "Dear brother wants me to turn Zero back into a human."

Both students stared at her in shock. "B-but I thought –" Yuki stammered. "I thought Zero couldn't turn back into a human!"

"Not by drinking blood, no. A Pureblood's blood will stabilize him somewhat, but it is not enough," the transfer student said.

"Do I have to drink a demon's blood?" Zero spat.

"I never said anything of the sort. Besides, I think demon blood would only make a vampire sick," she said. "No, I have special powers that I inherited from my birth family that allows me to purify things. I trained with them and I developed a technique to change a Level-D vampire back to its original form."

"How many times have you used it?"

"Oh, many times," she laughed. "Are you afraid I will fail?"

Zero stayed silent, no longer eyeing her distrustfully. Yuki glanced at him, urging him silently to make a decision. The transfer girl waited patiently.

"I will comply with you," he said finally, "if you show me who you are."

Yuki flashed a quick, worried glance towards the transfer student. _But I thought she didn't want to reveal her identity yet,_ she thought.

The transfer student was quiet, lowering her head so that the hood shadowed her eyes. "Is that all?" she asked softly.

"Yes."

She gave a small sigh and said, "Very well. I accept your terms."

Zero waited with bated breath as pale hands clasped the ends of her hood and tugged it down, revealing a feminine face with black and silver hair, and cobalt-blue eyes. She had a small blue crescent moon tattooed on her forehead that was barely visible between the black bangs. But what was most striking to Zero was how uncannily similar she resembled his old childhood friend, Kagome Higurashi.

"There, I have shown you," she said calmly.

Zero snapped out of his mild shock as she walked towards him. He forced himself to still as she approached, her hands reaching out and grasping the sides of his head gently.

Yuki watched in fascination as a pink glow surrounded her hands. Zero shut his eyes as he felt an invisible warmth flowing from her hands and into his body, caressing his senses.

Minutes ticked by in silence as she purged the taint from his body, returning him to his former state. Zero felt small prickles of pain as his body undid the transformation, but it wasn't as excruciating as turning into a vampire.

At last she lifted her hands from his head and threw her hood back over her head. "I have finished the process. You are free," she said, leaving the bathroom.

Zero stared down at his upturned palms, incredulous and speechless in surprise. He ran his tongue lightly over his teeth and felt only small canines that were slightly sharper than the others. He no longer felt an overpowering hunger and thirst for blood coursing through him when he looked at Yuki or her neck where his bite mark was visible.

Yuki, noticing where he was looking, blushed when she realized she hadn't cleaned the blood off. She walked to the sink and turned the faucet on, using a spare cloth to wipe away the red stain on her neck. As watery red water swirled down the drain, Yuki stared down at the porcelain white surface.

She had really done it. Kagome had really turned Zero back into a human. But the question was: _how?_

It was then that Zero had a small revelation: _I forgot to ask what her name was._

* * *

Kagome slid down the wall, gasping lightly. _Damn, I forgot how draining that technique was_, she winced. _I hardly made it back to the Moon Dormitory . . ._

"Hey, Higurashi! What's wrong?" a voice asked from above.

She lifted her tired eyes to look at the vampire standing at the top of the stairs. "Oh, Aido-san. I am so very tired, just leave me . . . be . . ." Aido's blue eyes widened as the new student collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

He raced down and lifted her up into his arms. "Ah, she just fainted," he mumbled, carrying her to the couch and laying her down.

"Aido, please explain what happened," the cool, commanding voice of the Pureblood freezing Aido where he was.

"Kaname-sama!" he said, whirling around to face the president of the Moon Dormitory. "I was helping her. She just fainted."

Kaname narrowed his rich, mahogany eyes at her unconscious form. Earlier he had felt Zero's aura dilute so that all traces of being a Level-D vampire were gone. There was absolutely no way that it could have been done except by the mysterious Kagome Higurashi.

"Aido, leave and tell the others not to bother me," he said curtly, picking up the unconscious girl bridal-style and walking back up the stairs.

"What are you going to do with her, Kaname-sama?" Aido asked.

"I need a few answers from her," was the dismissive reply.

Aido bowed and retreated to his room to inform his cousin of the command.

* * *

Kagome blinked her eyes sleepily and let out a groan as her muscles protested her movement. She looked around the room, noticing that the bed she was in was not hers.

"You are awake, Higurashi-san."

She recognized that voice immediately. "Kaname-san," she said, inclining her head respectfully to the Pureblood vampire.

He sat on the edge of the bed and leaned towards her. "I want answers," he spoke quietly.

"I rightfully assume that you think I have messed with Zero?" she asked softly.

"Earlier I felt his vampire aura diminish."

"I have cleansed it, of course."

"Does this have anything to do with your childhood infatuation with him?"

She narrowed her cobalt eyes at him. "You should know that I had small feelings for his twin brother Ichiru, not him," she snapped.

"But Zero is the one you saved, spoke to and you are even interacting with now, not the other brother," Kaname said firmly.

"He is my friend – _was_ my friend."

"He does not know?"

"He sees my appearance, but knows not of my name."

"I expect you to reveal yourself today."

She glowered at him. "Why is my appearance so important?" she hissed.

"Is there any reason not to?"

Kagome stopped and thought about it. The whole purpose of hiding herself was to keep Zero from knowing it was his old friend, but now that Zero knew what she looked like – Kaname had a point. Why bother hiding?

"Fine," she grudgingly agreed.

"Name too."

She glared hard at him. "You know very well that my whole purpose was to keep my identity hidden from him until I felt safe enough to tell him!" she burst out. "I'm not ready."

"You can't run forever, Higurashi-san," Kaname replied, ignoring her angry tone. "I'm sure Kiryuu would love to hear it from your lips and not someone else's."

She looked away. His first words stung a bit, because Kagome knew that's all she'd really been doing. _I'm such a coward,_ she sobbed inwardly. _I can't even tell Zero who I am . . ._

"Do you agree?"

Kagome looked at him with dulled blue eyes and nodded mutely. Kaname smiled, albeit creepily, and stood up. "Then it is settled. At twilight at the gates you _will_ reveal who you are," he said. "Now, you are free to go back to your own room."

* * *

Time passed by too quickly for Kagome and soon she was lining up with the vampires behind the great gates. She had her hood up, informing Kaname that she would reveal herself when the Day Class girl asked her.

The gates creaked open and they walked out. The girls screamed and giggled as Aido waved to them, but at the end of the line they fell silent.

The same girl stepped forward again and repeated, "Will you let us see who you are today?"

She shot a small glare at Kaname, which had Ruka bristling angrily, but replied, "Fine, if you so insist."

She let her hood drop.

Beautiful ebony-black tresses spilled over her shoulders, complete with streaks of silver. The Day Class girls were shell-shocked at the beautiful female who almost seemed to glow.

"She's so pretty!"

"Look at that hair!"

"I wonder what kind of shampoo she uses?"

"I want to get a picture of her!"

"Me too!"

Zero studied her again, frowning when her appearance matched his childhood friend, although she looked like an older version of the Kagome he had known five years ago.

A different girl stepped up and asked shyly, "Um, what's your name?"

Kagome closed her eyes, breathing in and out deeply. When her eyes opened, she stared straight at Zero, her gaze unwavering as she replied.

"My name is . . . _Kagome Higurashi."_

* * *

**Surprise, surprise, it's a cliffhanger! XD**

**I'll put Zero's reactions and all that in the next chapter. Anyways, please review! NO FLAMES.**

**See you in the next installment of **_**Vampire Queen.**_** Hopefully I won't be **_**too**_** busy . . .**

**MangaFreak15**


	5. Ch 5: Speechless

**Here we go.**

**Warning: Story does NOT follow manga line.**

* * *

**VAMPIRE QUEEN**

**Ch. V**

**Speechless**

* * *

"My name is . . . _Kagome Higurashi."_

As if a bomb had exploded, Yuki winced and looked away from her Prefect partner as the narrow, moonstone-colored eyes widened to nearly impossible extents and his head whipped around to stare at the Night Class student in shocking disbelief.

The Night Class students noticed Zero's reaction upon hearing the transfer girl's name. Aido nudged Akatsuki and whispered, "What's up with Kiryuu?"

Kagome stared at her old childhood friend, who was still frozen in complete and utter shock, lilac-gray eyes flashing with so many mixed emotions that she averted her gaze to prevent her guilt from rising up and eating away at her again from the inside out.

Yuki sighed and stepped forward and laid her hand on his shoulder, but received no response. Either Zero was ignoring her or he was simply too surprised to notice anything except Kagome.

"Ka . . . Ka –" Zero was unable to form any articulate words at the moment.

Kagome walked past him and up to Kaname. _"This," _she hissed, pointing her thumb backwards, "is exactly why I did not want to reveal myself."

"But at least he knows now," Kaname answered calmly, mahogany-red eyes locking on to Zero's frozen face.

"Does it matter?" Kagome muttered, brushing past the dorm president. "It doesn't change anything. I'm no longer the eleven-year old girl he used to know."

That seemed to snap Zero out of his dazed state. "Do back to your dorms," he told the Day Class girls, for once not having any bite in his cold tone.

The Day Class girls did so, curiously glancing back and forth between the argent-haired Prefect and the retreating backs of the Night Class.

Once they were out of sight, and for the matter, so were the Night Class and Kagome with them, Zero faced Yuki with a shadowed face. "You knew, didn't you?" he hissed.

Yuki refused to meet his angry gaze. "She told me not to tell you," the girl whispered. "Were we just hurting you more?"

"That . . . that _demon_ can't be her!" Zero shouted. "No, I refuse to believe it! Kagome was human!"

"Was human," Yuki repeated, glancing at him. "She was once."

Zero's brows furrowed and his ever-present scowl darkened and deepened. "No. That isn't her. There must be more than one Kagome Higurashi out there and this one is a demon. She is _not_ . . . she's not _her,"_ he muttered to himself, walking away from Yuki. "I'm going on patrol."

_Zero . . . _Yuki thought, watching him, her thoughts numbing her with remorse and shame.

* * *

Within the shadows of an empty house, a stiff figure wearing a mask over his eyes strode across the dusty threshold. He looked around at the vacated place, lightly touching surfaces that were thick with gray particles and old cobwebs. He looked . . . and remembered.

As he passed by a closed window, a faint glimmer of light danced upon his silver hair. His coat billowed behind him as he turned quickly into the hallway, going to the room situated at the end of the hall. A gloved hand reached out and brushed the dust off an old doorknob, gently turning it and ignoring the squeaky sound the door made as it swung open on unused hinges for the first time in four years.

The room was relatively the same, just missing a few things that the family that used to live here might have taken with them. The stranger sat upon the dusty bed, reveling in the familiar feeling. His eyes glanced through the holes in the mask and fixed its gaze upon a single picture frame sitting on the worn oak desk.

He scrambled up from the bed and took the picture frame into his gloved hands. He wiped away the thick layers of gray dust and looked down at the single photo, which contained a single girl and two laughing boys.

At long last he allowed himself a small smile as the tip of his index finger traced the lines of the girl's face. His whispered words were unheard by anyone but him.

"Kagome . . ."

* * *

As the Prefects stood upon the terrace overlooking the school grounds, Yuki could sense the high amount of tension radiating from her partner as he looked occasionally at a certain female in the classroom. His posture was more rigid than usual, his hands fisted in his pockets, his brows drawn into a wide V-line between his eyes.

The female turned and talked quietly to Kaname. Yuki felt a small stab of jealousy on her part, but shook her head to clear her thoughts. Kaname was just her savior, that incident was probably nothing to him. This made her feel a bit sad, but she ignored these fledgling feelings and focused on her primary duty.

Once again she saw two Day Class girls hiding in the bushes with one holding a silver camera. Sighing in exasperation that they couldn't get a clue, Yuki jumped from the terrace and swung down from a tree bough.

The Day Class girls turned to her as she landed in front of them. "It is past curfew and you are prohibited from being on the school grounds at night," Yuki told them, holding the white band around her arm for emphasis.

"We just want pictures," the girls sulked.

Yuki strode forward and held out her hand for the camera. The girls backed away, one clutching the precious device to her chest. "No way, Disciplinary Committee! This camera is mine!" she said.

And abruptly it was snatched away by the person behind them. The girls turned with ferocious rage to the person who dared, only for their anger to immediately vanish upon seeing Zero's dark, menacing glare.

"Go back to your dorm. If I ever catch you on the school grounds again when it is past curfew, I will give you detention," Zero said, stuffing the camera into his jacket pocket. "For now, your camera will be confiscated."

The girls ran off immediately, shooting Zero angry looks as they went.

Yuki sighed. "It's like this every time," she said to her partner. "They just don't get a clue."

"We cannot allow them to discover the Night Class's secret," Zero said monotonously. "Both you and I know that vampires do not show up in pictures."

"Well . . . for some reason the Night Class does show up in pictures," Yuki said.

"That's the bad part."

The Prefects patrolled the school grounds again once more before Zero went to the Headmaster's office to hand in the camera.

* * *

"Higurashi-san," Kaname spoke softly to the demon girl, not looking up from his book.

Kagome scowled through the darkness at him. "Don't call me Higurashi-san, Kaname-san," she said. "I hate being called by my last name."

"Very well, Kagome-san," Kaname said. "I am under the impression that Zero believes you are still just a fantasy."

"He does. I will need to reinforce reality, it seems," she said, looking out of the window where the two Day Class students were being confronted.

"Suppose he tries to kill you?"

Kagome paused for a split second, eyeing the Pureblood Vampire with barely hidden animosity. "Supposing will get you nowhere," she said. "Zero will not and _cannot_ kill me."

Rich wine-red eyes met her steely blue-gray orbs. "I have been informed that Kiryuu Ichiru-kun will be arriving soon," he told her.

Her eyes widened a fraction. _Ichiru . . ._ _he's coming here? Why?_

She voiced her thoughts.

Kaname answered, "To kill Kiryuu-kun perhaps? After all, he believes that Kiryuu-kun murdered his beloved Shizuka Hiou."

"Hiou? As in the Pureblood Vampire named as the Kuruizaki-hime?" Kagome questioned. "I highly doubt that would happen. Pureblood Vampires cannot be killed that easily unless directly contacted with the heart."

A faint smile quirked Kaname's lips up. "Do you know who killed her then?" Kaname asked smoothly, setting his book down.

"I have heard beliefs that Purebloods murder each other for the other's power," Kagome said, keeping her voice steady. "You did it, didn't you? I would imagine that Zero at least wounded her with that gun of his, and you saw your opportunity."

"Quite."

Kagome looked out of the window again, this time catching Zero staring at her with a hard, contemplative look. He looked away when their gazes locked.

Somehow Kagome almost felt disappointed.

_But don't I like Ichiru?_ She questioned herself, averting her gaze from the fair-haired Prefect.

She no longer had a clear answer.

* * *

A silver-haired man sat within a darkened room filled with books, scrolls and other ancient texts. He was leafing through a thick, leather-bound volume on vampires.

_According to this book_, the man thought, _it is impossible for a vampire and a human to breed. However, Purebloods and Aristocrats are able to breed with humans. Demons and humans aren't a problem of course._

The man got up from his chair.

_Time to pay my little sister a visit._

* * *

**Well, it wasn't very long, but this is a chapter, nonetheless. Today was the first day of school, so we won't have much work, but I have a quiz on Wednesday. Who knows when I'll update again? I most certainly can try. Any suggestions? Please tell me.**

**Please review, but DO NOT FLAME.**

**Thank you.**

**MangaFreak15**


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